Several factors have lined up that will prevent me from
squeezing juice this season: the worst apple year at the orchard I manage,
as well and many others, including farmhouse trees; a massive shortage of
fruit in the Great Lakes region that is driving even local cider fruit to 3X
their normal price; starting my PhD this semester, with a full courseload on
top of work; and frankly, a need for a breather.

I mulled it all over: squeezing just a couple of weekends,
squeezing fermenting stock only; doing a big sweet cider share in one
weekend all at once, and so on. But it takes a lot of time just to convert
the garage into a cider mill, and it isn't worth it for a small squeeze.
Besides, my mid-week day off, which has traditionally been setup and apple
trucking time, is now occupied by PBIO 295: Biology of Fungi, so it just
ain't gonna happen.

But cheer up, the mill isn't going anywhere, I have enough
tied up in it, and my home orchard, and I plan on working in this Vermont
apple business for the forseeable future. Cider will flow again. I hear that
the year after a bad crop, the trees will be loaded. So see everyone in
2013.

Best,

TB

LostMeadowVT.com is a site I have dedicated primarily to my
hobbies managing a small apple and other fruit orchard and making
quality, hand-crafted (hard) ciders. In these pages I will share my
experience with all things growing, squeezing, and fermenting, as well as in
other areas as I see worth writing about them.